BLOOD DRAGON by Freddie Peters (books to get back into reading .TXT) 📕

Pole frowned. “Was it an accident?”

“I don’t know, Jonathan. It might be, but I can’t help thinking that her asking questions about my father might have something to do with it.”

“You don’t know that.” Pole shot back and Nancy gave him asad smile.

“As much as I would so very much like to think that way … it’s unlikely.”

“People do get murdered for no apparent reason, or even have unforeseen accidents. It does happen.” Pole’s calm voice almost seemed to reassure her.

But after hesitating Nancy shook her head.

“She managed to unearth a very interesting and important document that creates a link to my father. He is mentioned in it under his artist’s name.”

She showed Pole the document that she had just moved so he could sit next to her. Contemporary China Art under Deng Xiao Ping. The title looked innocuous. Pole started flicking through the pages.

Despite the title and the conventional introduction, the contents of the paper grew more politically charged as the author developed his argument. He had gone to great lengths to identify those artists who, after the events of Tiananmen Square in 1989, had abruptly dropped their support for Deng Xiao Ping’s socio-political reforms.

Pole speed read the pages until he found the name he was looking for … Mo Cho, Nancy’s father’s artistic name. The fact that he belonged to a group of avant-garde artists was no surprise.

Pole had managed to gather information on this already with the help of Harris, but the article made an important point about the fierceness of the artists’ criticism as they were still living in the shadow of Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Her father had not only been part of the cultural push organised in February 1989 that supported the Tiananmen uprising, but he had in fact been one of the key organisers.

Pole sat back. He wondered why MI6 and Harris had not been more forthcoming about this aspect of Mo Cho’s story. Not a point he would presently discuss with Nancy, but something he would soon clarify with Harris himself.

“I can see it is an important source of information, but it is also a research paper. Surely it is available freely on the internet these days.”

“That’s the point, Jonathan … it is not. I tried quite a few sites. I even tried a few French sites since the paper was originally written by a French student … I couldn’t find anything.”

“How did Amy come by it then?” Pole looked at the back of the document. He noticed that it had been photocopied, it had been done with care, so it was likely that the original was not available to the public.

“I don’t know and neither does Philippe.” Nancy shook her head again.

“You need to be careful not to reopen the gash on your face.” He leaned closer, a slow move but carefully, concerned he might disturb some of her still weeping wounds.

“I’ll be fine.” Pole saw it in her eyes. She could bear physical discomfort but not the emotional agony of losing her young helper Amy.

“I also need to determine whether this document is authentic,” Nancy continued. “I haven’t yet decided how I am going to do this … I have a few options.”

“Which are?”

“To get in touch with my old contacts at the Sorbonne University in Paris and find out whether they know the author of the research paper.”

“That could take forever.”

“Agreed. And of course, I may again involve someone who doesn’t necessarily realise the risk they might be taking.”

Pole pushed away a strand of hair that had fallen awkwardly across her brow.

“You need to find someone who can research this in a protected environment.”

“You mean someone who has access to a search engine that no one can trace?”

“Something like that.”

Nancy looked at Pole sideways. “You mean GCHQ or one of the other agencies?”

Pole almost flinched. He had managed so far to produce documents that helped Nancy in her search without revealing their source. Pole had enough contacts at Interpol to justify the findings, but that argument was starting to wear thin.

Nancy’s focus had shifted and he recognised that she now wanted to own the research process fully.

This would complicate matters … a lot.

“If you have any contacts there, this might be the time to call upon them.” Pole nodded.

“As you know, I don’t … But I’m sure I’ll find someone who does.” Nancy smiled, the first smile she had given Pole that evening. She already had a name in mind and Pole hoped that name would not lead her to Steve Harris.

* * *

DS Branning’s replacement for the night arrived. A woman in plain clothes, sporting a flannel suit and a neat haircut. Her smile was friendly, and the boys, Johnny and Charlie warmed up to her immediately. Beth had not returned yet … She was almost certainly networking at one of the fashion events she attended almost every night in London Fashion Week.

Cora had retreated into Beth’s bedroom. If she had not spoken to Branning, she would not speak to to the female officer either. She regretted having spoken to him about Ollie’s words. She was no longer sure she had heard him speak. She thought he had murmured a word. Or was it that her desire to hear his voice again had deceived her?

Cora had almost finished clearing up Beth’s bedroom. There were only a few garments now left hanging outside the large wardrobe. The makeup was organised in small jars and trays Cora had found lying around the flat. The books and magazines had found a place on the bookshelves, organised in stacks and by author.

“You’re disappointingly organised for an artist.” Beth always teased.

Big Clearing Out Projects always helped her clarify her thoughts …

Boring, but there it was.

She moved a few books around on the shelves. She had decided that perhaps organising the magazines by theme would be an idea …

Was it true Ollie was a junkie?

The thought made her angry … Not at him, but at others and herself for believing this was